


Reminders

by WritLarge



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gen, General Leia is my hero, I really like the relationship between these two, Spoilers, could be read as StormTrooper pre-slash if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-11 00:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5606344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritLarge/pseuds/WritLarge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leia thinks about Poe Dameron and who he reminds her of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reminders

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS DAMN IT - didn't you read the tags?
> 
> Contains information from Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens film, Star Wars: Before The Awakening book, and various Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens comics.

He'd reminded her of Han at first when she'd interpreted his confidence as bravado and shaken her head at his sass. Yet, a few minutes later he'd evoked memories of Luke instead. His piloting skills, yes, but Poe's fearless flying was one thing. His desperate determination to do what was right, and to make a difference, was another. He'd barely let her finish the offer before he'd agreed to join the resistance.

“Where do I sign up?” Poe had answered, eyes afire.

He was his mother's son too. Leia remembered Shara Bey well and had even flown with her on one memorable occasion. Had things been different, they might have been friends, but Leia had continued to serve while Bey had, deservedly, returned to her family. Poe had never listened to her as raptly as he had on the evening that Leia had recounted the mission to Naboo.

It was weeks after he had joined the resistance that it had struck her how close in age Poe and Ben were. Caluan had been teasing her in a gentle aside, balancing shades of humour and concern in his words that only a friend of decades could manage, about her growing attachment to Poe.

“You're fretting.”

“I am not.”

“Then why are you hovering like a mother hen?”

“They're late for their check in.”

“Leia,” the Major gave her a small smile. “Considering Poe's previously demonstrated ability to pull himself out of ridiculously perilous situations, I can't imagine that a routine scouting run-”

He'd been right, of course. Leia had scowled and brushed him off with a waspish “I know” before stalking out of the room, knowing that Ematt would inform her when the scouting mission returned. Hiding away in her office, she'd mulled over how things might have been, if Ben were here by her side, following in her footsteps the way Poe followed his own mother's. Leia had believed then, that there was still light in her son, that it might still be possible to bring him home. 

And then everything had gone to hell.

Today? Today Poe reminded her of herself. She'd finally had the time to drag him away from Finn's bedside and talk to him about what had happened, what Ben had done to him, and make him drop that damned sunny disposition of his in favour of blunt honesty. It had ended in tears for them both. They were so alike that way, though Poe was much better at putting on a cheery facade than she had ever been, pushing through their emotions and doing what needed to be done, all while concern and grief battling endlessly in their hearts for attention. 

In the same battle, Leia had lost Han, while Poe had lost more than a few dear friends. And now Ben was as unreachable as ever, even Leia hard pressed to imagine his redemption, while the stormtrooper that had shown his true colours in helping Poe was unresponsive in the med bay. How unfair that the boy raised to light would so completely betray his family, while the one raised in the dark proved himself again and again to be a devoted friend and ally.

“It's not your fault.” Poe didn't elaborate any more than that, but Leia understood. Not everyone knew who Kylo Ren was, but those closest to Leia, those she trusted most, needed to know. Most of those precious few were older veterans. When Poe had signed up as her Commander, he'd been told too. 

Not her fault? Burning inside her grief was a core of anger. Would Vader's shadow never fade? Luke had forgiven him, despite the rebellion and losing his hand, but Leia never could. Never. At best she could almost pity him. She'd seen too much. What the Empire had done… No. It was the reason she'd reacted so badly to Ben's fascination with his grandfather. Luke had done the opposite, been too kind, glossed over the harsh realities of Anakin Skywalker's life and choices and tragically deserved death. And instead of staying to mourn, her brother had fled to lick his wounds. Han had managed no better, throwing himself back into his old ways, the two of them leaving Leia to carry on and disappear under the workload of the New Republic.

She was tired. So damned tired.

“Rey will be back soon,” Poe's voice rasped, throat thick with tears, from where he sat by her, cheek against hers. “She can do it. BB-8 adores her.”

“I'm sure Finn will be fine too,” she patted him on the back and straightened. “They wouldn't have chosen him if his body hadn't been strong and he wouldn't have survived with us if his heart hadn't been the same.”

Poe chuckled weakly and wiped at his eyes. “Yeah, he's something else, all right.”

“And our medics have dealt with their fair share of burns.” Most of their equipment had come from the Navy, but they'd recovered other ships needed for covert operations too. One such find had suffered more damage than they'd thought and exploded on the flight deck. She'd been thankful to have skilled medics committed to their cause, several having recruited themselves as a result of seeing or experiencing horrors inflicted by the First Order that Leia wouldn't wish on anyone.

The time chimed and Poe tensed, pulling away. She missed his comfort immediately.

“Damn it. I should-”

“I know,” she said, resisting the urge to flatten his mussed hair. Leia wanted to tell him to rest, to take care of himself, but there was little time to waste. “There's no telling what may come next from Snoke.” 

And that was true. Starkiller Base was no more, but the First Order still had their fleet, while the New Republic was currently a shattered mess. Agents of the Resistance were scrambling to contact the remaining military outposts and ships in a bid to get them onside before the First Order could pick them off. Admiral Ackbar was hopeful and C3-P0's droid network could communicate and act rapidly, but the First Order was better manned and prepared. All of this and they had to pull up stakes and move their entire operation before the enemy returned to retaliate. They'd stayed too long as it was, to repair their ships and tend the wounded.

“Major Ematt is overseeing the evacuation.” Poe nodded at her and rose. He crossed to the door and paused to look back.

“General?” She never could get him to call her by name.

“Yes?”

“Would you mind looking in on Finn? If you get the chance...” he asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” Leia watched a little tension bleed from his shoulders as he left and hoped that Finn would wake soon. She knew how awful it was, the waiting, the uncertainty… the year that Han had been lost to Jabba still counted among her worst. Poe had claimed Finn as one of his own with an astonishing quickness. Leia knew that affection would be steadfast. Poe was like that and Leia was willing to trust his judgement, though she worried it would bring him grief, in the end, having more to lose. 

But there again, Poe was better than she was, better at enjoying the moment instead of dreading what was to come, trusting in a new ally instead of cautiously accepting help and bracing for the worst. It was a wonder she and Han had ever really come together at all. Though, perhaps not that unlikely. Leia was as stubborn and unrelenting in her affection as Poe once she gave it. She hadn't been able to bring any anger to bear on Han when he'd finally come home.

Luke, though. Her wayward little brother was going to get the dressing down of the century after she hugged the hell out of him. When he returned.

When.

Before she could start questioning herself again, Leia forced her legs to move. She would do as Poe had asked and make sure there would be no problems moving the medical unit. She couldn't do any more for her loved ones right now, the least she could do was help Poe protect his.


End file.
